Leg cushion



J. F. WALSH Sept. 23, 1958 LEG CUSHION Filed Jan. 26, 1954 John F WalshINVENTOIB. M19:-

2,852,883 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 United States Patent ()filice LEGCUSHION John F. Walsh, Roselle Park, N. .l. Application January 26,1954, Serial No. 406,126

1 Claim. (Cl. 45-137) This invention relates to a leg cushion and morespecifically provides a device for attachment to the lower ends of legsfor chairs, beds or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a leg cushion to be utilizedon the bottoms of the legs of a cha1r, bed or the like therebyresiliently supporting the weight of the chair or bed as well as theWeight of the person occupying the chair or bed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a leg cushion which maybe attached to various type legs in a simple and efficient manner.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a leg cushion havinga spring urged telescoping member positioned in the bottom of each legthereby providing a resilient support for the person occupying the chairor bed or the like device.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide a legcushion which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture,well adapted for its purposes, universal in adaptability and relativelyinexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages WhlCh will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, where nlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a group view showing the elements of the leg cushion of thepresent invention in section;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the leg cushion of the presentinvention assembled on the bottom of a tubular leg;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken substantially along the centerline of the construction shown in Figure 2 showing the details ofconstruction and the relationship of the various elements of thelegcushion;

Figure 4 is a top plan section taken substanually along section line 44of Figure 3 showing the telescoping relationship of the various elementsof the leg cushion;

Figure 5 is a top plan section taken substantially along section line5-5 of Figure 3 showing the details of the guide and limiting pin;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section showing a modified form of the legcushion of the present invention; and

Figure 7 is a top plan section taken substantially along section line7-7 of Figure 6 showing the details of construction of theinter-engaging arcuate projections for retaining the leg cushion of thepresent invention in assembled relation.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it Wlll be seen that thenumeral 10 generally designates the leg cushion of the present inventionfor insertion in the bottom end of a tubular leg 12. The leg cushion 10includes a tubular cylindrical member 14 having a closed upper end 16and an open lower end 18. The exterior surface of the tubularcylindrical member 14 is provided with a plurality of outwardlyextending projections 20 piston 26 is inserted and the pin for engagingthe inner surface of the tubular leg 12. The lower open end 18 of thetubular member 14 is provided with an upwardly flared rib 22 for purposedescribed hereinafter. Adjacent the central portion of the cylindricaltubular member 14 is provided diametrically opposed slots 24 which haveclosed ends. A hollow or tubular piston 26 having a closed upper end 28and an open lower end 30 is slidably positioned in the cylindricaltubular member 14 and the closed end 28 is provided with a flexiblewasher 32 secured thereto by a suitable rivet 34. Adjacent the closedend 28 of the piston 26 is provided a pair of diametrically opposedopenings 36 for alinement with the slots 24 wherein a transverse pin 38may be positioned therein for vertical sliding movement in the slots 24thereby limiting and guiding the sliding movement of the piston 26 inthe cylindrical member 14. A compression coil spring 40 is dispose-dbetween the felt Washer 32 and the closed end 16 of the tubular member14 thereby continuously urging the piston 26 outwardly of thecylindrical member 14. The lower open end of the piston 26 is providedwith an external rib 42 for engagement of a cap 44 which is constructedof suitable material for engaging a supporting surface such as a flooror the like that the leg 12 may be positioned on. The flared end 12 ofthe cylindrical member 14 engages the lower end of the tubular leg 12thereby preventing the tubular member 14 from entering completely intothe tubular leg" 12. As specifically shown in Figures 1 and 3, an airvent opening 46 is provided in the closed end 16 of the cylindricaltubular member 14 thereby providing an air cushion between the washer 32and the closed end 16 of the tubular member 14.

In operation, the tubular member 14 is inserted in the lower end of thetubular leg 12 and held therein by the projections 20. The rib 22 at theopened bottom 18 of the tubular member 14 limits the inward movement ofthe tubular member 14 into the leg 12. The spring 14 is then inserted inthe tubular member 14 and the 38 positioned in the apertures 36 andslots 24 thereby limiting and guiding the movement of the piston 26 andthe tubular member 14. In practical operation, the tubular cylinder 14and the piston 26 may be assembled with the transverse pin 38 prior toinsertion of the cylinder 14 into the tubular leg 12. Obviously, thetubular leg 12 may be the legs of a chair, bed or the like.

As specifically illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the cylindrical member48 is positioned in the tubular leg 12 and held therein by suitablefriction or other fastening means and the coil spring 50 is positionedtherein on top of a slidable piston 52. Adjacent the lower end of thecylinder 48 is provided a pair of oppositely disposed arcuateprojections 54 forming an interrupted rib about the interior surface ofthe cylinder 48. A pair of externally projecting ribs 56 is provided onthe exterior surface of the piston 52 thereby forming a broken externalrib on the piston 52. The piston 52 may be assembled with the cylinder48 by passing the projections 56 through the interrupted portion on theprojections 54 and then giving the piston 52 a slight turn therebyengaging the projections 56 over the projections 54 wherein the devicewill be retained in assembled relation.

The device of the present invention may be so constructed to be attachedto any type leg whether it be tubular or merely an attachment on thebottom of the leg. Also, the device may be constructed so that it isadaptable for attachment by the manufacturer. In this instance, it maybe feasible to omit the cylindrical portions 14 and 48. Obviously, thecap 44 may be of any well known resilient rubber, plastic or a suitablemetal conventional in furniture leg caps. In certain instances, it maybe desirable to make the piston members 26 and 52 of chrome or othersuch materials to match the.

piece of furniture to which it is attached such as a kitchen chair ortable. Normally, the piston 26 extends outwardly of the bottom of theleg 12 in its normal position and when a person sits on the chair or thetable is loaded, the spring 40 compresses an equivalent amount until theload is: supported thereby providing a" cushion for the invention to theexact construction shown and described,

and accordinglyall suitable modifications andequivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

" A 'leg cushion for insertion into the lower end of a hollow furniture'leg comprising a cylindrical member having a'closed upper end and anopen lower end reversely bent outwardly and forming a peripheralshoulder thereby providing a stop for limiting the insertion of thecylindrical member into the hollow furniture leg,

a tubular piston slidably mounted in said cylindrical member inconcentric spaced relation, said piston having a closed inner end and anopen outer end defined by a peripheral outwardly extending flange, acompression coil spring disposed between the closed end of thecylindrical member and the closed end of the tubular piston for urgingthe piston downwardly, a cap of resilient material disposed on the outerend of the piston with the peripheral flange embedded therein, a pair ofarcuate circumferential projections extending outwardly from theperiphery of the piston intermediate the ends thereof, a pair of armatecircumferential projections extending inwardly from the inner surface tothe cylindrical member intermediate the ends thereof, each pair ofprojections totaling less than one half of the inner circumference ofthe cylindrical member and the outer circumference of the pistonrespectively whereby the projections may be misaligned for insertion ofthe piston into the cylindrical member after which the piston may berotated a partial turn for positioning the projections on the pistoninwardly of and in alignment with the projections on the cylindricalmember thereby releasably locking the piston in said cylindrical member,said coil spring permitting inward sliding movement of the piston intothe cylindrical member.

References Cited in the file ofthis'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS SolernOct. 17, 1939

